Notes -- September 2011 Council Meeting

Note: These are my personal notes from the council meeting. They are NOT the official minutes, nor should they be construed as an official record of any kind.
I should also note that my computer was in the process of dying during this meeting, so I apologize to my loyal reader for any holes, and for the delay in posting. By the time everything was transferred over to the new laptop, posting had slipped my mind.

Boone County Council
9/13/2011
Present: All Council Members present except Brent Wheat, Secretary Heather Barton.
The council approved the minutes of the August meeting. Council also approved a change to today’s agenda based on two items from those minutes which have been added to Old Business.

Council President Steve Jacob addressed the Council and the audience regarding the budget situation. Last week, representatives of GUTS approached Jacob and the Commissioners questioning the accuracy of some of the budget numbers the county has been working with, suggesting that a significant of revenue has not been included in the calculations. As this would make a major difference in our budgeting, the council will hold a workshop with GUTS and the Auditor’s office to discuss this new information before going forward with the budget process. The meeting was scheduled for Thursday, Sept 22, 3:00.

RE-APPROPRIATIONS:
Sheriff (Mike Nielsen):
Requested $7000 from dispatchers to part-time. The department has been down two dispatchers for the past two months, and using part-time help to cover the job. Approved.

Re-Assessment (no one present):
Requested $4750 from Ariel to Appraisal for appraisals on four properties in downtown Lebanon. Council believes this money was already approved as an additional in June. Clarification was sought from the Assessor; in the mean time, no action was taken. After some clarification, the request was withdrawn.

Clerk ( ):
Requested $300 from Equipment Repair to Travel Expense for additional state meeting travel. Approved.

ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS:
Sheriff (Mike Nielsen):
Requested transfer of $1464 from Sheriff’s Sale fee moneys to part-time to pay the person who oversees the Sheriff’s Sales. Approved.
Requested roughly $1100 from various lines as reimbursements for things like damages, postage and inmate medical expense. Approved.

Enhanced 911 (Mike Nielsen):
Requested not quite $8000 for FICA and not quite $8300 for PERF contributions to cover a miscalculation in last year’s budgeting. Approved after some discussion.

CVB (no one present):
Steve Jacob (who serves on the Convention and Visitors Bureau Board) explained that the CVB board plans to hire a consulting firm to conduct a study to guide the CVB’s strategy going forward in attracting visitors to Boone County. The money comes from the “innkeeper’s tax” and can only be spent by the CVB. Questions as to the propriety of the expense (the CVB board supports it, though it is high) and whether the council even has authority to approve or deny (probably not, but the CVB wanted the process to be public). Lebanon Mayor Huck Lewis (also on the CVB board) spoke to the goals of the CVB in terms of economic development. A motion to approve did not pass, but was not apparently necessary.

Highway (Tom Kouns):
Requested $2200 to vehicle repair for insurance reimbursement.
Requested $35000 to vehicle repair. Approved.

Cum Bridge (Tom Kouns):
Requested $70,000 to replace a small bridge on Hamilton County Line Road north of SR 47. Kouns brought pictures of the damage to the current bridge. Construction costs will require reappropriation of funds, probably next month. Approved.

CCD (Jeff Wolfe):
Requested $15,000 for cost of a generator and safety fencing. The Health Department received a grant to purchase a back-up generator for their vaccines, and the commissioners opted to join the purchase and get a bigger generator, big enough to power the Courthouse Annex in an emergency. This additional includes the commissioners’ share of the generator, plus required fencing around the installation. Approved.

NEW BUSINESS:
The council was asked to make an appointment to the board of the newly-opened Child Advocacy Center. Councilman Brent Wheat was not present today, but had expressed an interest in serving, and was appointed.

Lebanon Mayor Huck Lewis addressed the council regarding the proposed county-wide water needs project he is spearheading. Mayor Lewis had addressed the council during its budget hearings in August. The council voted during those hearings to cut $10,000 from Commissioners’ proposed budget for a feasibility study. Lewis asked Lebanon Utilities Director Mike Martin to address the need for the study and why the county should be a part of the resulting planning. Boone County Economic Development Commission Director Dax Norton also addressed the council on the importance of water in attracting economic development to the county. The council asked several questions and made several comments. Commissioner Jeff Wolfe stated that the commissioners support the project, and while the council denied the additional funding for the study in next year’s budget, the commissioners will continue to support the project through other line items as possible.

Highway Superintendent Tom Kouns reminded the council of its discussions during budget hearings regarding the replacement of a furnace at the highway garage. Council agreed with Kouns’s recommendation of how to pay for the furnace and the installation in a timely manner.
Councilman Gene Thompson asked Kouns and Major Mike Nielsen about the possibility of requesting a waiver from the FCC for the upgrading of radio equipment to narrow band technology. both Kouns and Nielsen agreed to explore the possibility and get back to the council.
Kouns updated the council on his research for a leasing rate for the highway trucks the council approved earlier this year. Key Bank agreed to a rate of 2.65%, a significant savings over the initial proposal.

Dax Norton, Director of the Boone County Economic Development Corporation, updated the council on the ongoing efforts of the EDC. Norton and his office will be traveling extensively this fall to various site consultant conventions and other EDC networking opportunities. Norton also stated that one of the major site consultants who had previously looked at Boone County for a project and rejected it due to water issues who has again requested information from the EDC regarding a new project tied to the I-74 corridor. Dax is optimistic about the EDC’s recruitment efforts, and has been pleasantly surprised by positive reports from corporations already in the county regarding retention. Norton stated that his office will be following up on meetings held in recent weeks with Jamestown and Thorntown, and is looking to begin a program for small businesses and entrepreneurship.

Auditor Melody Price presented a financial update to the council. I commented that except for two additional appropriations required because of bookkeeping errors on the council’s part, ALL of the additional were for reimbursements. I appreciate the effort it has taken for the various county offices to stay within their budgets in this difficult year.

OLD BUSINESS:
County attorney Bob Clutter addressed the council on variety of issues.
First, the Redevelopment Commission has arranged to refinance development (TIF) bonds along I-65 through State Bank of Lizton at a rate of 2.1%. The Bank requested the support of the council behind this plan. The council voted unanimously to support the refinancing.
Second, Clutter updated the council on the request of residents along 525 S to have the speed limit lowered on the half-mile stretch of road. The residents have addressed the commissioners and stated that traffic study would be unnecessary if the county declared the road an urban district. As the road is actually in the “rural” portion of Zionsville, such a declaration raises all sorts of legal questions. The commissioners are continuing to look into the ramifications of any decisions changing the road’s status.
Third, Clutter addressed the ongoing confusion regarding the Zionsville library board appointments. The State Library Board and the town of Zionsville have stated that they are satisfied with the current appointments. Council member Gene Thompson asked Clutter if, in his legal opinion, the council had a valid appointment to the Zionsville library board. Clutter stated that he was comfortable relying on the written opinion of the state library. Zionsville Library Director Jake Speer addressed the issue as well.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:30.

Next regularly-scheduled council meeting will be 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 11, in the Courthouse Annex, Lebanon.